Ordnance.



No. 708,!5I. Patented se i. 2, I902.

J. KURIG.

OR-DNANGE. (Application filed Jan. 9,'102.;

4 Sheets-Sheet I.

(-No Model.)

THE News puns co. mom-mm, WASNINGTON, o. c

.No. 708,|5l. Patented Sept. 2, I902.

J. KURIG.

OBDNANCE.

[Application filed Jan. 9, 1902.

4 Sheets$heet 2.

(No Model.)

Tn: scams PETERS co.. moYouma, WASHINDTDN. lay a.

.J. KURIGQ ORDNANCE.

(Application filed Jan. 9, 1902. (No Model.) 4 Shoots-Sheet 3.

No. 708,!5l. v Patented Sept. 2, i902.

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Patented Sept. 2, I902. .1. u-ma.

ORDNANCE.

(Application filed Jan. 9, 1902.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

and vice versa.

omen States PATENT @rrrcs.

JOSEF KURIG, OF ESSEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO FRIED. KRUPP, OF

ESSEN, GERMANY.

ORDNANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,151, datedSeptember 2, 1902.

Application filed January 9, 1902. Serial No. 88,995. (No model T0 ctZZwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEF KURIG, residing at Essen-on-the-Ruhr, Germany,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ordnance, of whichthe following is a specifi cation.

The foregoing invention relates to that class of ordnance which is firedat great elevations and in which loading in such positions isaccompanied by great difficulty or is altogether precluded, so that thegun must be returned after each discharge to a particular position theloading position-and then returned to firing position. 7 complishedthrough the medium of the elevation mechanism at the expenditure ofconsiderable time.

The present invention has for its object to provide ordnance of thiskind with an attachment which permits the rapid transposition of the gunfrom firing to loading position,

according to this invention by introducing a clutch into the elevatingmechanism, after the disengagement of which the breech of the gun may beelevated or depressed independently of the operation of theelevatingmechanism.

In the accompanying drawings the inven tion is illustrated, by way ofexample, in use upon a howitzer with a toothed elevating-segment.

Figure l is a side elevation of the parts of the howitzer which comeunder consideration, the gun being shown in one of its firing positionsof greatest elevation and the forward wall of the carriage being brokenaway. Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 with the gun occupyingitsloading position. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the elevating mechanism incombinationwith the device forming the subject of the present invention,several of the parts being shown in section. Fig. 4 is a verticallongitudinal section on the line 44:, Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 showvertical cross-sections on the lines 5 5 and 6 6, respectively, of Fig.4. Figs.

'7 to llare detail views.

The elevating mechanism forms no part of the present invention and maytherefore be briefly described. It consists at oneend of a hand-wheel A,a shaft B, carrying a worm in- This has heretofore been ac-' This objectis accomplished closed in a housing 0, a worm-wheel mounted on shaft D Din engagement with said worm, and a toothed wheel E, also mounted onsaid shaft D D, which meshes with a toothed are F, rigidly connectedwith the gun. The driving portions of the elevating mechanism (thehand-wheelA, the shaft B, and the wormgear) are located on the outerside of the carriage-wall G, While the remaining parts of the elevatingmechanism are located between the walls of the carriage adjacent to thehearing H of the shaft D D. The shaft which carries the worm-gear of thedriving parts of the elevating mechanism and the toothed wheel Econsists of two parts D and D, Fig. 4. That part D of this shaft which,with the exception of its bearing portion, is hexagonal and carries thetoothed wheel E has rigidly connected with it one half K of a clutch.This clutch member is inclosed by the hearing H and is provided, asshown in Figs. 10 and 11, with two diametrically opposite recesses it.These recessesare entered with a limited play by two corresponding lugsZ of the'other clutch member L (see Figs. 7 and throwing out the clutchis likewise located.

between the walls of the carriage and consists in part of a ring N,Figs. 7 and 8, screwed fast to the clutch member L, and thereforenon-rotatable on the part D of the shaft, and provided with two segments17., located at one hundred and eighty degrees apart, which are slightlyhigher than the lugs Z of the clutchhalf L and commencing at a bottomface extending perpendicularly to the axis of the ring N, then with acertain pitch for an angulardistance of thirty degrees, then runparallel to the bottom face of the ring, and finally dropperpendicularly at their other ends to said bottom face. The disengagingdevice further comprises a sleeve 0, Figs. 9 and 11, rotatable upon theclutch member L and sustained by the end h of the bearing H. This sleeve0 is provided with two recesses 0, the form and opposed positions ofwhich correspond to those of the segments a on the ring N. The segments'21 during the engagement of the clutch enter the recesses 0 of thesleeve 0; but when the sleeve 0 is rotated in the direction of the handsof a clock, looking from the worm-gear of the elevating mechanism, thesegments 11 are displaced from their engagement with the recesses 0, thering N being secured against turning on the part I) of the shaft and thelatter being held fast in consequence of the self-locking nature of theworm-gear. As the sleeve 0 cannot now slide because of its abutmentagainst bearing H, a turning of the sleeve 0 in the aforesaid directionmust be followed in consequence of the cooperation of the angular orpitched faces of the segments a and recesses 0 by a sliding of the ringN a distance corresponding to the height of the segments 72,saidringNtaking with itthe clutch member L, which is slidable upon the shaftportion D. The clutch K L will thus be disengaged and increased tensionput upon the spring M. For thus disengaging the clutch a rotation of thesleeve through an angle of thirty degrees is necessary, owing to thedescribed form of the segments 12 and recesses 0. The sleeve 0 carriesan arm P, to which a rod Q is jointed through the medium of itsbifurcated end q. The other similarlyformed end of the rod Q is injointed connection with an arm '2' of a crank R, which is fixedlyattached to a shaft S, mounted in a housing l, secured to the outer sideof the carriage wall G. Shaft S carries upon its outer end thehand-lever U, so that by throwing the hand-lever U in the direction ofthe arrow u, Fig. 1, the crank R, and with it the sleeve 0, will beturned and the clutch K L will be disengaged. The portion of the shaft Swithin the housing T is angularand carries a collarV, to which areconnected theinner ends of several spiral springs W, which are separatedby annular washers, while the outer ends of said springs W are fastenedto the housing T. These springs are so wound that they seek t6 turn theshaft S, and with it the hand-lever U, in the direction of the arrow u,Fig. 1. The tension of the spring W and that of the spring M, whichholds the clutch K L in engagement, are so proportioned that the springsW cannot of themselves rotate the shaft S and through its connectionsdisengage the coupling. Upon that portion of the shaft S within thecarriage-wall G and next to the crank R a lever X is mounted in such amanner that it has a limited lost motion. To secure this lost motion, aprojection s is located at the bearing-point of this lever upon theshaft S, the abutting faces .9 and s of which projection extend radiallyto the axis of the shaft S and engage with a groove 00 concentric withthe shaft S in the nave of the lever the medium of the roller Y, againstsaid under side or against a horn Z.

In the following explanation of the manip ulation and operation of theinvention it is assumed that the several parts are to move from theirpositions shown in Figs. 1 and 3, which they occupy in one of the firingpositions of the gun. In this position the clutch K L is in engagementand is held in engagement by the spring M. The shaft part D will preventthe elevating mechanism from turning by reason of the self-lockingcharacter of the worm and worm-wheel driving-gear, so that the shaftpart D, the toothed wheel E, and the gun-body cannot change theirpositions by themselves. The roller Y of the lever X lies against thehorn Z of the gunbreech, and the abutting face .9 of projection s bearsagainst the bearing-face m of the groove m, while the bearing-face w isdistant about thirty degrees from the abutting face 8'. If it is nowdesired to shift the gun to loading position, the lever U is thrown inthe direction of the arrow 11,, Fig. 1. In the first part of this motionthe sleeve 0 will be turned in the same direction as the lever U throughthe medium of the crank R and the rod Q, so that the clutch K L will bedisengaged, putting tension on the spring M. The breech of the gun cannow be raised independently of any movement of the elevating mechanism,

since the toothed wheel E, carried by the shaft part D, is no longercoupled with the shaft part D. Since before the clutch will becomedisengaged it is necessary that the lever U rotate through an angle ofthirty degrees, it follows that, owing to the described formation of thegroove, upon the completion of such disengagement of the clutch theabutting face .9 of the projection 5 comes to rest against the abuttingface 0; of the groove on. In consequence of this if one throws the leverU still farther in the aforesaid direction the lever X will be carriedwith it, and the gun will be raised by the lateral arm of the lever X.In this operation the springs W uncoil, and consequently assist inraising the breech of the gun. Since the breech of the gun imposes aload upon these parts, it will return the gun of its own weight as soonas the lever X is moved past the perpendicular by throwing the lever U.This movement is accompanied by the gun simultaneously with the turningof the lever X or illustrated in Fig. 2, in which the hand-lever U comesto rest upon a stop (not shown in the drawings) on the carriage. The gunbeing now loaded and it being desired to return it to the firingposition it previously occupied, the hand-lever U is thrown toward the amuzzle of the gun, putting tension on the spring W. The lever Xpat-takes of this movement as soon as the abutting face 5 of theprojection 3 reaches the position of abutment against the bearing-face mof the groove 00. The lever X then raises the gun until the leverreaches its vertical position, after which the gun descends under theeffect of its increased weight, due to the load introduced into itsbreech, and turns the lever X until the abutting face as of its groove wabuts against the face 3 of the projection 8. Further movement of thelever U under the influence of the weight of the breech of the gun nowtakes place in opposition to the spring W. At the commencement of theengagement of the clutch the gun has reassumed the firing position fromwhich it had been moved, (in the present case the position shown in Fig.1 5) but the hand-lever continues its movement downward for about thirtyde essary for the elevation ofthe gun is comparatively insignificant,since the tension stored up in the springs W by the descent of the gunassists in raising it.

Having thus described the invention, the following is what is claimed asnew therein:

1. The combination of an elevating device for guns locking the gun in anadjusted firing position, and mechanism disengaging the gun from theelevating deviceand moving the gun independently of the elevating devicefrom an adjusted firing position to loading position and thence to thesame firing position.

2. The combination of an elevating device for guns, a clutch inconnection with said elevating device, and means operating the clutchand moving the gun independently of the elevating device, from anadjusted firing position to loadingposition and thence to the samefiring position.

3. The combination of an elevating device for guns, a clutch introducedbetween the driving and driven parts of said elevating device, mechanismthrough which the breech of the gun is manipulated up and downindependently of the elevating mechanism, and a connection between thebreech-shiftin g means andthe clutch, throwing the clutch out asinclination, one of said parts being connected with the movable memberof the clutch and the other having a fixed abutment, and means forimparting relative rotation between said parts.

5. In a gun-mount, elevating mechanism embodying in its structure atwo-part shaft,

with a clutch interposed between and having its members respectivelyfixed and sliding on the parts of said shaft, a worm-gear rotating saidshaft, a spring on said shaft bearing against the sliding clutch member,and the ring and sleeve having angularly-disposed engaging faces, andarranged the one in connectionwith the movable clutch member, and

the other in abutment with a fixed part, and means for rotating saidsleeve.

6. In a gun-mount, an elevating mechanism holding the gun in adjustedfiring position and embodying a clutch betweenits driving and drivenparts; a shaft having a crank-arm providing a movable support for thebreech ofthe gun, independent of the elevating mechanism, andconnections between the shaft and the clutch.

7. In a gun-mount, an elevating mechanism holding the gun in adjustedfiring position embodying a clutch between its driving and driven parts;and a shaft having a crank-arm providing a movable support for thebreech of the gun, independent of the elevatingmechanism, and acounterbalance-spring on said shaft tending to rotate the crank in adirection to raise the gun-breech.

' 8. In a gun-mount, an elevating mechanism embodying a clutch betweenits driving and driven parts, and a shaft having a crank-arm providing amovable support for the breech of the gun, and a crank-and-rodconnection between the shaft and clutch moving the latter into and outof engagement as the supporting-crank moves.

9. In a gun-mount, the combination of the alever which raises and lowerssaid breech and with a hand-lever for manipulating it, and thelever-and-rod connection between the last-named shaft and theclutch-operating sleeve; a 10st motion being provided between themanipulating hand-lever and the breech- In testimony whereof I havehereunto set supporting crank, whereby upon movement my hand in thepresence of two subscribing 0f the hand-lever in one direction theclutch witnesses.

is first disengaged and the gun-breech moved, JOSEF KURIG. and uponmvement of the hand-lever in the Witnesses: opposite direction thegun-breech is moved \VILLIAM ESSENWEIN,

and the hand-lever is rengaged. PETER LIEBER.

